Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Nutrition and behavior in senior dogs.
- Journal:
- Topics in companion animal medicine
- Year:
- 2011
- Authors:
- Manteca, Xavier
- Affiliation:
- School of Veterinary Science · Spain
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
As dogs get older, some may develop a condition known as canine cognitive dysfunction syndrome (CDS), which is similar to dementia in humans. This can lead to changes in behavior, such as confusion, altered interactions with people or other pets, changes in sleep patterns, accidents in the house, and decreased activity levels. It's important for veterinarians to rule out other medical issues that could cause similar symptoms before diagnosing CDS. Managing this condition often involves changes in diet and medication, with recent studies suggesting that adding certain fats called medium-chain triglycerides to their diet can help improve brain function in older dogs. Overall, addressing CDS is important for the well-being of senior dogs, and treatment can be beneficial.
Abstract
With increasing age, some dogs develop a neurogenerative disease that is commonly referred to as canine cognitive dysfunction syndrome (CDS). Diagnosis of CDS can be clinical or based on laboratory tests. The main behavioral changes associated with CDS are disorientation, altered interactions with people or other animals, sleep-wake cycle alterations, house-soiling, and changes in activity level. Ruling out medical conditions that can cause similar changes in behavior is important when performing a clinical diagnosis. Management of CDS includes dietary and pharmacological intervention. Dietary treatment of CDS has been based on the use of antioxidants and mitochondrial cofactors, and recent work has shown that long-term supplementation with medium-chain triglycerides can improve cognitive function in aged dogs. CDS must be considered an animal welfare issue and the implications of this are discussed in this article.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21435624/